Dealing With FUD: Fear, Uncertainty And Doubt

Sometimes we find ourselves trying to do something, that we have never done before. As we head into the unknown we might find ourselves feeling a bit insecure, unsure, or nervous. Perhaps we feel this way, because we are not quite sure what the next step should be. We don't have much information gathered and this could be creating conflict in our mind. We might be worried our ideas are bad or we might even find ourselves paralyzed by fear of the unknown. These feelings are normal, but it doesn't have to stop us if we want to push forward.

We can't let fear of the unknown keep us from experiencing growth. This is only a few of the many things I have learned in my journey so far. Fear often comes with uncertainty and doubt. In this article I want to talk about how to deal with these three feelings, because they should not stop us from what we want to achieve even if we feel, that it might be impossible to do that. We might be able to reduce FUD by following these actions, that I am about to share with you today including taking time to reflect, recognizing when our thinking is stuck in a rut and recognizing a "wall" that might be preventing us from moving forward.

Definition Of FUD: Fear, Uncertainty And Doubt

Fear of the unknown and everything new. It's natural to be a little worried about the change, that comes with life. Even more reason to take the new paths, that are likely to lead to greater rewards. Uncertainty is when you don't know what to do or how to proceed. When this happens, it can paralyze you with fear. Learn to recognize uncertainty and you will find yourself overcoming it before you even realize it. Finally, doubt is another common obstacle, that prevents us from moving on with our goals.

The type of doubt, that comes from fear is the same as any other fear. The other type of doubt is the more logical type. By logical, I mean the one that stems from looking at a problem from all angles and drawing rational conclusions. We must conquer this doubt as well, because it prevents us from taking unnecessary risks. These doubts usually manifest themselves from the fear, that has infected us. By not denying this fear, we can learn to ride the wave and surf past it. This is what allows us to take the first steps into the unknown.

Take Time To Reflect

When you feel fear, uncertainty and doubt, it can be helpful to step back, reflect and take time to reassess what you are trying to achieve. Think of a time when you felt fear, doubt or uncertainty and how it impacted your decisions. What did you do? What would you have done differently, if you had the chance to do it over again? The way I deal with these feelings is to reflect on them and try to figure out, why I am experiencing them now. The truth usually hurts, but it is a good thing. It means, that I am learning something new or that I have been doing something wrong.

For me, I have found that the more I try to ignore or not think about them, the worse they get. The more I think about them, the less intense they seem. When I try to rationalize them, they seem bigger and more powerful. When I take a step back and reflect on them, I can usually reduce the intensity of my fear, doubt or uncertainty.

Eliminate The Blame

If you blame others for what is wrong in your life, you will never get out of that position. You might be afraid that if you take the blame, someone will punish you severely. This is a reasonable fear, however if you do take responsibility for your own mistakes, you will always have a way to make amends.

For me, I made mistakes throughout my life. I got scared that others might hold it against me if I admitted them and I never got over that fear. I thought I was going to get punished by my parents if they found out, so I kept them to myself and blamed everyone else. In reality, others don't really give a crap what you did in the past as long as you aren't hurting them. I have learned to accept responsibility for my faults and mistakes and it has helped me a lot.

Talk It Out

Talking with a trusted friend or even a professional can help you sort out your feelings. One of the major reasons, why you might be facing any of the above is because you are not being honest about what you want from the situation.

As I mentioned before, my fear of getting into trouble with my parents kept me from being honest with them. It took me a long time to get over that and be honest with them. If I had been honest sooner, I could have gotten over my insecurities a lot quicker.

The problem is, you don't know how the other person will react. Some people are more receptive to other's problems than others, but having a listening ear is always better, than waiting for the problem to get solved. Most importantly be honest with yourself. Honesty is always the best policy.

How I Use Fear, Uncertainty And Doubt To My Advantage

We all experience these emotions to one degree or another. The key is how we deal with them.

When I face fear, I usually turn it around and use it as a motivator. I see fear as a potential weakness and I try to turn it into a strength. In my case, that means taking risks and conquering my insecurities.

If I feel uncertainty, I usually just sit on it and think about all the things that could go wrong. This can be a prelude to a bad ending, so I usually try to find a solution before I let it fester and turn into fear.

Doubt is a little different. I don't really try to come to terms with it. Instead I try to ignore it. If I can't ignore it, I try to reason with it. If that fails I usually try to distract myself with something else.

The key here is to know when to use each one of these methods. For me, it's easier to face fear and take risks, than it is to sit around worrying about it. I also feel, that ignoring the problem doesn't really help. Instead I let it eat away at me until I can come up with a solution. In the end though, it's all about finding what works for you.

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